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TENCENT’S AI ACCELERATES DIAGNOSIS FOR PARKINSON’S

Written by Ashley Koh

Chinese firm Tencent and their Medical AI lab collaborated and used smartphone technology developed by Medopad, a London firm, to diagnose Parkinson’s Disease using AI. A camera is used to capture the movements of the patient’s hands to determine the severity of their symptoms. This new AI technology not only removes the need for patients to wear sensors or devices, but also reduces the duration of diagnosis from roughly 30 minutes to about 3 minutes. With regards to this collaboration, Medopad stated that Tencent’s offer was unrivalled by any other British company. Some have expressed concern that this technology will serve only the interests of China or Britain. In response, the Head of Tencent Medical AI lab Dr Wei Fan reassured that they will follow local regulations and work towards benefitting everyone globally.